Blog
Just Another Bloody October
Across the Siegried Line, October 1944 (Cost, approximately 250,000 casualties) In October 1944 the war in Europe is entering its sixth bloody year. Its sixth year! As Courtney Hodges’ 1st US Army grimly fights its way through the notorious Siegfried Line, Nazi...
The Canadians — The Unsung Heroes of the Allied Invasion
Men of the 3rd Canadian Division approach Juno Beach on D DayThe Allied invasion of Europe on June the 6th 1944 took place on five beaches. The American army landed on Utah and Omaha beaches, of course, and the British army landed on Gold and Sword beaches. But it is...
Breakout
Battle in the Bocage – Sherman vs TigerFrom Goodwood to Falaise; From the Bocage to the Pocket In my last blog, which I called ‘Inch by Bloody Inch,’ I described the ferocious battles which culminated in the capture of Caen by the British and Canadian armies on July...
Inch by Bloody Inch
A little girl is rescued from the ruins of her home in NormandyD Day After the success of the initial landings on D Day—150,000 men were landed in one day and were not thrown back into the sea—the Allies found themselves engaged in a long and bitter battle against...
A New Terror
A Week after D Day, Hitler unleashes his V1 Flying Bombs against London A week after D Day, on June 12, 1944, Hitler commenced Operation Eisbär, a mass attack on London using his brand-new cruise missile V1 flying bombs. These were revolutionary pilotless cruise...
Mulberry, the Red Ball Express, (and family secrets)
(Top: ‘Port Winston’ Mulberry B)The D Day landings are rightly remembered for the unflinching bravery of the 150,000 men who took part. But I suggest they should also be remembered as examples of superb organization and logistics, and brilliant, innovative technology....